Published byJulianat
- last modified on June 4, 2021
Fortaleza – Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR/SBFZ) is currently one of the busiest airports in the Northeast region of Brazil, together with Recife and Salvador. Named after local-born aviator Euclides Pinto Martins, the airport is the gateway of Ceará state, and is a focus city to Gol and LATAM. In 2018, Fortaleza was chosen as the new Brazilian destination for KLM and AF, further enhancing their partnership with Gol. Due to its geographic location, it is also a great place for fuel stops and crew rests for planes (specially smaller ones, narrowbodies, etc) on ferry flights between Europe/Africa and Latin America. This means that many rarities pop up here from time to time.
Regular traffic might not be that interesting, since the majority of daily flights are done by Gol, LATAM and Azul. However, we have some nice international visitors too: KLM and Air France use the A330 and Boeing 777, respectively. AF will upgrade from 777-200ER to 787-9 in March 2020. TAP flies using A330 (200 or 900 Neo). Cabo Verde Airlines, a very exotic visitor, use their B757-200 (often using the Icelandair 757 aswell). Air Europa fly with their A330, and LATAM also use a 767 for the Miami flights. Not many cargo flights, unfortunately. Sideral Air Cargo is a daily visitor with their 737 freighter. The rest of the rarities are basically charter flights and ferry flights on fuel stops.
Written by Leonardo Mello (local spotter). Last update: July 2021
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Airport Information
Runways
13/31
2.545 m
Terminals
One for all flights.
Spotting Information
Ladder
Only needed in “TAG Avenue” (#7) spotting location.
Car/Public Transport
Highly recommended for all locations. Buses will only take you to the airport terminal or “Shopping Parangaba” location. It is possible to walk from the airport terminal to the “Pro Air” and “CIOPAER” locations, but it’s a long walk under scorching sun, so maybe not really the most confortable thing. Picking a Uber car can be a good thing.
Restrooms
Only available at CIOPAER (#2) and Shopping Parangaba (#5) spots.
Drinks/Food
There’s a supermarket (Atacadão) right in front of the airport terminal, which is a good place to buy some snacks. However, due to the distance and specially due to the heat, it’s better to go by car.
Hotels
There are a few smaller hotels (inns) located nearby, but they’re quite small indeed. Bigger and more known hotels (Holiday Inn, Ibis, etc) are not located near the airport.
Season
From January to May, is our rain season, so one can expect rainshowers and cloudy weather. However, our weather might be a bit unstable aswell, so you may have a clear blue sky in one day and rain on the other. From May to December, clear blue skies most of the time, with a few cloudy days from time to time.
Runway Usage
13/31
Runway 13 is widely used all year long, since winds are usually calm. Runway 13 have ILS and PAPI systems, which allow precise approaches. Runway 31 is very rarely used (only a few days per year, on the rainy season, due to wind and visibility changes).
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ProAir is currently the main spotting location of the airport. The spot is located right next to the Cargo Terminal and a wide, open place with fences. To get in there, one must leave the main airport road (Senador Carlos Jereissati avenue), enter the cargo terminal avenue, turn right and then instantly turn left. There will be a green, open gate, which will lead to the place. It is a wide place used by airport handling companies to store their vehicles and other maintenance equipment.
WHAT
A part of runway 13-31 is visible, along with taxiway Alpha, the ATC tower and general aviation hangars. Parking locations of the cargo terminal can also be seen. The bad thing is: some planes might park in front of this area and block the view. However, it doesn’t happen too often and when it does, is usually at late night.
TIME
Heat haze is always a problem here in Fortaleza, so it’s better to avoid photographing from 10AM to 3PM. Planes on the taxiway may be good, but planes on the runway will have lots of heat haze during these hours. In January, light is OK all day, no backlight. In February/March, it’s slightly backlit during the morning and OK in the afternoon. From April til August, backlight all day long, so this place become pretty useless unless for night shots. September/October: backlight during morning, OK beyond 12PM. November/December: light OK all day long.
MISC.
The good thing about this place: it’s very calm! Public access, no one to bother you, not dangerous at all. You can park your car, stay for a while, even have a good time with friends while planespotting. Restrooms are not available, unfortunately. Seating places might be kinda hard, so it’s a good idea to bring a foldable chair, if possible. No restaurants nearby. Only a few weather/sun sheltering nearby, and you won’t be able to planespot if you hide from the sun/weather. The best thing is to bring your car to this place. Although with public access, it’s still an airport area with airport workers, so it’s always good to have a chill behavior, to avoid any suspicion. Local planespotters are always using this area and we have no problem at all with police or airport employees.
FOCAL LENGTH
Planes on the runway: 200mm or beyond. Planes on the taxiway can be photographed using a 18-55mm lens, but it’s always good to have something more. A 70-300mm can work just fine most of the day.
The CIOPAER base is where the aircraft operation branch of the State Military Police is located. They operate a few helicopters and planes, and their main station is located here at the airport. It is located near ProAir (#1) spotting location, a bit further away. Best accessible by car. It is possible to go from ProAir to CIOPAER by walking, since they’re in the same road and not too far away from each other.
WHAT
The whole runway is visible, although it’s much better to photograph planes when they are reaching the end of runway 13. Planes can be seen vacating the runway via taxiway Delta, and there’s also a great view of planes taxiing on taxiway Alpha. Also a great place to photograph planes departing runway 13.
TIME
Heat haze is always a problem here in Fortaleza, so it’s better to avoid photographing from 10AM to 3PM. Planes on the taxiway may be good, but planes on the runway will have lots of heat haze during these hours. In January, light is OK all day, no backlight. In February/March, it’s slightly backlit during the morning and OK in the afternoon. From April til August, backlight all day long, so this place become pretty useless unless for night shots. September/October: backlight during morning, OK beyond 12PM. November/December: light OK all day long.
MISC.
Since this is the Police station, it’s a 100% safe place. Very calm, shelter for sun/weather, restrooms available. It’s really a wonderful place. HOWEVER, it is a restrict location, and one must contact the police officers in advance in order to have access permission granted. The best thing is to talk to a local planespotter before. Police officers already know most of the local spotters, but they won’t allow strangers, so this is the best way to get access to this place. Visitors will pass through an ID check before being allowed to enter.
FOCAL LENGTH
Planes on the runway: 200mm or beyond. Planes on the taxiway are very near, so it’s good to have less focal range. 18-105mm lens work just fine.
The Footbridge located at the airpor’s main avenue (Senador Carlos Jereissati Avenue). There are two footbridges: one is located right in front of the airport terminal (connecting the terminal with a bus stop near the Atacadão supermarket), and the other one, further away, is the one being talked about. It is located quite next to runway 31 threshold.
WHAT
It is a good place to catch planes taking off from runway 13.The runway itself is not visible, since it’s covered by the trees of a small forest located inside the airport perimeter. The ATC tower can be seen, though.
TIME
Heat haze is always a problem here in Fortaleza, so it’s better to avoid photographing from 10AM to 3PM. Planes on the runway will have lots of heat haze during these hours. In January, light is OK all day, no backlight. In February/March, it’s slightly backlit during the morning and OK in the afternoon. From April til August, backlight all day long, so this place become pretty useless unless for night shots. September/October: backlight during morning, OK beyond 12PM. November/December: light OK all day long.
MISC.
Not a very good place to be. Highly recommended to go by car. You’ll need to park the car in the street near the footbridge and climb it with your camera gear. Not very safe. The best thing to do is to wait for the plane you want to catch and only go up there to take a pic of it leaving, and then go back to the car and leave. Since there’s no visual reference with the runway (due to the trees), the plane will simply rocket out in the sky and you’ll have to be quick to take a pic of it, so this might also be a problem. In a better perspective, this location is nice to get some climbout shots, specially with gears retracting (see Air France B777-200ER pic).
The Formigueiro is a curious one, and maybe one of the best locations in Fortaleza, due to the proximity with the planes and the nice angles. Located inside the old cargo terminal area of the airport, near runway 13 threshold. Not very easy to access if you don’t have a car.
WHAT
The passenger terminal can be seen nicely, together with remote stands right next to it. Planes can also be seen landing on runway 13. The best pics are the ones of planes taxiing to runway 13 via taxiway Kilo. The proximity of the planes is really nice!
TIME
Good during afternoons, not during morning due to backlit. Nice to go there around 2 or 3PM till the sunset.
MISC.
It’s a very nice location! We call it Formigueiro (English: “Ant Nest”) due to a huge ant nest which was located there, near a part of the fence. However, there are a few drawbacks: you’ll need permission from the security officers from a nearby checkpoint post. There are no restrooms, no place to hide from the sun or weather… it’s you, the scorching sun, the fence and the smell of JET A1. It’s really better to talk to a local spotter before going in there, since the security guards don’t always allow us to go to the fences and do our thing. They sometimes trouble with local spotters, so it’s always good to have a local to help you.
FOCAL LENGTH
The smallest, the better, since planes can come by very close to the fence. It’s a great place to do close ups! So pick up a 18mm lens or less for some wide shots. However, you can also take pics of planes pushing back at the terminal or taxiing, so more focal lenght might be required aswell. Up to 200mm is already enough.
Located at Shopping Parangaba, a shopping mall located a few kilometers away from runway 13. The mall is right next to the Parangaba Bus Terminal, which might be very convenient for someone using the bus as a transport. Uber drivers will also know the location very easily. The exact location is at the top of the garage building. The entrance is from inside the shopping mall, so you must enter the mall and find your way to the parking lot on the last floor.
WHAT
The airport can’t be seen. You’ll have to take pictures of the planes on short finals to runway 13. The good thing is that the plane can be seen from far away, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy.
TIME
Heat haze is always a problem here in Fortaleza, so it’s better to avoid photographing from 10AM to 3PM. In January, light is OK all day, no backlight. In February/March, it’s slightly backlit during the morning and OK in the afternoon. From April til August, backlight all day long, so this place become pretty useless unless for night shots. September/October: backlight during morning, OK beyond 12PM. November/December: light OK all day long.
MISC.
A very safe place, since you’re actually inside the shopping mall’s garage. However, some security guards might ask what you’re doing (since planespotting is not a know hobby at all among ordinary people). They might only ask you to stay away from the edges of the walls around the parking lot (they might fear someone will jump to death or something). Since you’re on a shopping mall, you can always go back inside to eat something or go to the bathroom.
FOCAL LENGTH
200mm at least. Unfortunately the haze might also be a problem on very hot days. By using a longer focal length, the pic might come out kinda soft or even blurried. By the end of the afternoon, with a smooth light, this might not be a problem anymore. By the way, the pics from this location are skyshots only, so be aware of that. I’m not really a fan of skyshots myself, but this parking lot is still a nice place to go.
The location is a small, poorly done sandy area which was turned into a small football field made by kids, near the end of Senador Carlos Jereissati avenue, right near a curve leading to Montese neighborhood. By the end of Senador Carlos Jereissati Avenue, near Rua Peru and Rua Três Marias.
WHAT
The airport can’t be seen clearly. This location is good for planes on short finals on 13. The angle might be kinda similar to those short finals pics of Toronto airport (although planes might be a bit higher here). Skyshots only most of the time, be aware!
TIME
Better during mornings, since might be backit during the afternoon. From May til August, the light is good on the whole day, including afternoon. However, expect a tail-light, not really lighting up the side of the airplane. Not that good, but also not that bad.
MISC.
Attention! This is a risky place. Although very busy due to the constant traffic of cars, the neighborhoods nearby are violent and there’s risk of armed robbery. Highly recommended to go by car, better with someone else (specially a local). Just get out of the car and take pics of the plane you want, and then go back to the car. While i’ve never heard of someone being robbed there, it’s not really a safe place. No restrooms or place to shelter from weather, since this is really in the middle of the street. Since the avenue is quite long, you can also cross the avenue and walk a bit to try better angles too. You can even go with the car to the other side of the runway, to photograph the plane on the other side and thus avoid a possible backlight shot.
FOCAL LENGTH
A 18-140mm lens do the job properly. 70-300mm is too much for widebodies, but might frame narrowbodies fine. Best to stick with smaller lens anyway.
Spot #7 – TAG Avenue – touchdown 13, taxiway J, GA ramp
WHERE
Located in Lauro Vieira Chaves Avenue, Vila União neighborhood, the avenue leading to the General Aviation Terminal (Portuguese: “Terminal de Aviação Geral”). Located on the other side of the airport (judging by the airport terminal side).
WHAT
Offers a great view of the whole runway, specially the touchdown zone of runway 13, with the airport terminal serving as a great background. Taxiway Juliet can also be seen, and some general aviation planes at the TAG ramp aswell.
TIME
Better to go by the morning from February to October. Nice to go by the afternoon from May to August.
MISC.
Attention! Risky place! Ladder needed, and a big one! Local spotters usually climb a nearby tree to take some pics over the wall located there. Pretty risky stuff, since there’s a poor neighborhood nearby, and this place is in the open, right in the street. There’s a nearby police station, but still is a risky place. Despite this, the pics over there are very nice, specially on early mornings or by the end of the afternoon, with a smooth sunset or morning light. We used to go to the viewing terrace of the General Aviation Terminal, which was a FANTASTIC spotting location, but it was sadly closed a few years ago. Climbing the tree on the avenue is the solution we’ve found, but still is not nice, since it’s so risky and unpractical. Always go with a local planespotter which might lead you to there.
FOCAL LENGTH
150mm is enough for the planes on the runway. For planes taxiing on taxiway Juliet (usually general aviation and bizjets), you’ll need smaller lens, like a 18mm. It’s very rare to see big jets using taxiway Juliet but, if it happen, you probably won’t be able to frame them, because the taxiway is way too close in this point.
Located near the Localiza Car Rental parking lot, next (outside) to the main terminal building of the airport, near the passenger gate 219. To get there, all you have to do is leave the terminal building and walk until you reach the Localiza Car Rental facility. You’ll definitely see the fence and the planes. If you want to go by car, you can drive from Carlos Jereissati Avenue, turn right (towards the Cargo Terminal – TECA) and then turn left. The end of the road will be the fence in this location.
WHAT
A fantastic place to be very close to planes! It’s near the terminal building and offers a nice view of the ramp. If you have enough focal lenght and a bit of luck, you can even photograph planes landing on runway 13 (see the Gol 737 MAX pic).
TIME
Early morning (like 05:30, 06AM) or at night. At 9AM heat haze already starts to pop out, sadly. At night, it’s nice to try some low shutterspeed shots and long exposures.
MISC.
No security issues! It’s a safe place and people won’t bother you. No ladder needed, althought shooting through the fence can be quite challenging and annoying sometimes. No restrooms or sun shelter nearby, but you can always go back inside to the airport terminal.
FOCAL LENGTH
18-105mm lens will do the job for planes parking near the fence. 200mm lens is more than enough for the rest.
Located at the end of Adolfo Quixadá street (Rua Adolfo Quixadá), near RWY 31. Reachable via BR-116 highway. At the very end of the street, there is a gate leading to the airport outskirts. At first you’ll only see bushes and a bit of the airport buildings far away.
WHAT
It is possible to photograph planes departing runway 13. It’s cool to catch them retracting the gears.
TIME
Early morning, from 05:30 to 7AM, to have a better light. Otherwise, shadows can be too strong, but it’s up to each one’s preference. Please use SunCalc app to check the position of the sun, avoiding possibly undesired backlights. If you want to go in early morning and want a nice light, better go from March to October. If you go during sunsets, you can also catch some artistic silhouette shots (see the A330 pic).
MISC.
Attention! This is a residential street. We recommend you to go to this spot by car, specially if you have a rental car, or maybe a friend’s car. It seems to be a very calm street but Fortaleza (and Brazil as a whole) is a violent place, so it’s better to keep low profile and don’t spend too much time here, in order to avoid being robbed. There is no sun shelter, food or restrooms in this place. It’s far away from bus stops.
FOCAL LENGTH
To catch planes right after being airborne, I suggest at least 250mm. I’ve used my 70-300 in these shots and worked well. If you want to catch them when they pass by (kinda belly shots), 200mm is enough.
If anyone need additional info about planespotting here in Fortaleza, please don’t hesitate to ask me!
My Instagram: @leomello747
My email: leleko747@hotmail.com
My Facebook: facebook.com/leomuse747
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If anyone need additional info about planespotting here in Fortaleza, please don’t hesitate to ask me!
My Instagram: @leomello747
My email: leleko747@hotmail.com
My Facebook: facebook.com/leomuse747
Cheers!